Screening for Water Soluble Antimicrobial Compounds of Peelings and Starchy Cortex of

Manihot esculenta Crantz. (Cassava) & Colocasia esculenta Schott & EndL (Taro) & Seed
Coat and Seed of Arachis hypogaea Linn. (Peanut)

Abstract
Most of the studies conducted by researchers on the antimicrobial property of the chemicals
produced by plants for defense and for inhibition of the microflora surrounding it, utilize dried and
powdered form of the plant. This study focused on freshly harvested root crops and water-based
antimicrobials. The objective of this study is to detect the presence of antimicrobial properties of
crude water extract of freshly harvested Manihot esculent Crantz. (Cassava) and Colocasia
esculenta Schott & Endl. (Taro) peelings and starchy cortex and Arachis hypogaea Linn. (Peanut)
seed coat and seed against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coll,
Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Rhizopus sp.. Freshly harvested M. esculenta and C. esculenta
were peeled and the cortex shaved and macerated in 1:2 parts of water using a mortar and pestle
while A. hypogaea seed coat and seed were separated and macerated in 1:2 parts of water using
a mortar and pestle. The extracts were sterilized via membrane filtration (0.45 um) and the
antimicrobial property was tested using the Kirby Bauer Assay. Detection of secondary
metabolites was done on plant extracts which exhibited zones of inhibition. Results show that the
extract from Manihot esculenta cortex exhibited antimicrobial activity versus Staphylococcus
aureus. The cortex of Manihot esculenta was found to contain glycosidic compounds. Arachis
hypogaea seed coat exhibited weak antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus which
could be due to the minute concentration of the active compound, the dilution of the compound
or its low solubility in water.

1
 In vitro screening of antibacterial activity of selected Philippine artocarpus species

Abstract
Many plants have been known for their beneficial usis in curing infectious diseases and illnesses.
The extracts and metabolites of Artocarpus have bioactive compounds that can be used in
antbacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities. The present study investigated the phytochemical
and antibacterial properties of the leaf extracts from selected Philippine Artocarpus species:
Artocarpus camansi, Artocarpus nitidus and Artocarpus blancoi. Hexane, dichloremethane and
methanol were used as extraction solvents and Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus Aureus,
were used as test organisms. A Kirby-Bauer method was adopted to test the susceptibility of the
selected microorganisms to the plant extracts and specific antibiotics. Minimum inhibitory
concentration (MIC) was determined using serial dilution of plant extracts. Phytochemical
screening by thin-layer chromatography was carried out by specific chemical identification tests
for characterization of crude extracts. Bioassay data were statistically analyzed using one-way
ANOVA (SPSS at 95% confidence level). Methanolic extract of A. camansi and A. nitidus
possessed significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus with s14.00 ± 0.35 mm and 13.40 ±
0.35 mm inhibition zone radii respectively. Dichloromethane and hexane extracts of leaf showed
no antibacterial activity against both test organisms. Bacterial antibiotic doxycycline and
chloramphenicol whcih were used as positive controls were more effective against E. coli and S.
aureus for methanolic extracts. Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of flavonoids,
steroids, sterols, alkaloids, sugars, anthraquinones, anthrones, courmarins, indoles, higher
alcohols, essential oils, tannins and phenolic compounds in leaf extracts. These results confirm
the potential antibacterial activity of A. Camansi and A. nitidus and the presence of medicinally
important phytochemicals in the plants.

2
 Antibacterial potential of the leaf and flower extracts of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
(gumamela) against Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract
The study aims to study the antibacterial potential of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Gumamela) leaf and
flower extracts against Staphylococcus aureus. The study used Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
(Gumamela) leaf and flower extracts and Staphylococcus aureus inoculated on the Mueller-
Hinton Agar.The study began with the proper extraction of the leaf and flower extracts of the
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (Gumamela). The different extracts were then divided into three
concentrations, 75%, 50% and 25% where they were used as the experimental group.
Ciprofloxacin was then used as the positive control and ethanol as the negative control.
Theextracts were then impregnated on discs. These discs were then placed on plates inoculated
with Staphylococcus aureus following Kirby-Bauer Disc Diffusion Method. After 24 hours of
incubation, the zones of inhibition were measured using a Vernier Caliper.
The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (gumamela) leaf and flower extracts impregnated discs did
notproduce zones of inhibition to25% and 50%concentrations on Staphylococcus aureus. The
organism was found to be resistant against the leaf and flower extracts of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.
There was a significant median zone of inhibition difference between the 75% gumamela leaf and
flower extract (1 mm) and Ciprofloxacin (19.5 mm) 0.5 level of significance, z = -3.868, p< .05.
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis had a narrower zone of inhibition compared to Ciprofloxacin by 18.5
millimeters, thus the null hypothesis was rejected.
Based on the findings of the study, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (gumamela) leaf and flower extracts
has no antibacterial potential on Staphylococcus aureus. The researchers would like to
recommend to the biology teachers and future researchers to determine the active chemicals or
constituents or bioactive components that are important to the various effects of Hibiscus rosa-
sinensis and that may affect the bacterial species like Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella typhi

3
 Microbicidal Activity of Tinospora rumphii boerl, Anamirta cocculus, and Andrographis
paniculata Species on Gram Positive and Gram-Negative Organisms

Abstract
Richly endowed, the province of Abra in the Philippines is abundant with a wide variety of
traditional medicinal plants. Moreover, these are the general sources of medicine for the local
people. Microbicidal analysis of threeindigenous plants was done using the Kirby-Bauer disc
diffusion method. Te technique involves the soaking of filter paper discs having the same sizes
into the different plant extract formulated at 75%, 50% and 25% concentrations. Sub-cultures
of gram-positive and gram-negative representative organisms were obtained from the
Department of Science and Technology Microbiology Laboratory located in Taguig City Metro
Manila. Likewise, all bacterial cultures were checked for purity and maintained in nutrient agar
slants. Additionally, the organisms tested were Staphylococcus aureus (G+), and Escherichia coli
(G-).Te result shows that Tinospora rumphii boerl produced a strong microbicidal activity towards
gram positive organisms (S. aureus) in all concentrations. Consequently, it has no inhibitory
activity on gram negative organisms (E. coli). Anamirta cocculus, on the other hand, has been
observed to affect both S. aureus and E. coli with a weak to moderate inhibitory activity from
the different extract concentrations. Lastly, Andrographis paniculata, on the other hand, is
moderately active against E. coli and weak towards S. aureus.

4
 Antibacterial and antifungal activities from leaf extracts of Cassia fistula l.: An
ethnomedicinal plant

Abstract
This study was carried out with an objective to investigate the antibacterial and antifungal
potentials of leaves of Cassia fistula Linn. The aim of the study is to assess the antimicrobial
activity and to determine the zone of inhibition of extracts on some bacterial and fungal strains. In
the present study, the microbial activity of hydroalcohol extracts of leaves of Cassia fistula Linn.
(An ethnomedicinal plant) was evaluated for potential antimicrobial activity against medically
important bacterial and fungal strains. The antimicrobial activity was determined in the extracts
using agar disc diffusion method. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of extracts (5, 25, 50,
100, 250 μg/ml) of Cassia fistula were tested against two Gram-positive—Staphylococcus aureus,
Streptococcus pyogenes; two Gram-negative—Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
human pathogenic bacteria; and three fungal strains—Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus clavatus,
Candida albicans. Zone of inhibition of extracts were compared with that of different standards
like ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and chloramphenicol for antibacterial activity and
nystatin and griseofulvin for antifungal activity. The results showed that the remarkable inhibition
of the bacterial growth was shown against the tested organisms. The phytochemical analyses of
the plants were carried out. The microbial activity of the Cassia fistula was due to the presence
of various secondary metabolites. Hence, these plants can be used to discover bioactive natural
products that may serve as leads in the development of new pharmaceuticals research activities.

5
 The effect of Phyllanthus niruri linn. (seed under leaf) on the zone of inhibition on
Escherichia coli

Abstract
In this study, the objective was to test for the effect of Phyllanthus niruri Linn. on Escherichia coli.
The experiment used leaves of Phyllanthus niruri Linn. obtained in Minglanilla area. The leaves
were washed grounded into small pieces and were subjected for extraction with the Soxhlet
apparatus for four (4) hours and rotary evaporator for one (1) hour to produce 1:10 and 1:5
dilutions of ethanol extract. Ten (10) replicates for each concentration was made, which served
as the experimental group. The control group was made of 10 (ten) replicates of both
Streptomycin discs (10mcg) and ethanol-soaked discs for the positive and negative control
groups, respectively. Two (2) Kwik stiks of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) obtained from Fil-
Anaserve were used to streak on 40 plates of Mueller- Hinton agar using the overlapping streak
method. Complete Randomized Design (CRD) was implemented and the study and was
performed at Cebu Doctors' University Research Laboratory in Mandaue City, Cebu. After 24
hours of incubation, the zone of inhibition was measured using a Vernier caliper and the data
gathered was processed using IBM SPSS version 22.
All groups except the ethanol as negative control displayed a zone of inhibition (ZOI). Results
showed that the 1:10 Phyllanthus niruri Linn. extract had a mean of 6.10mm and SD of 5.45mm
and the Streptomycin had a mean of 24.10mm and SD of 1.52mm. The Brown-Forsythe test
revealed that there was a significant mean zone of inhibition difference among the 1:10 and 1:5
dilutions of Phyllanthus niruri Linn. crude extract and Streptomycin treatment at 0.05 level of
significance with a result of F(2,19.287)= 42.533, p < .05. Tukey's Post Hoc test revealed that
Streptomycin group had significantly bigger zone of inhibition compared with 10% and 20%
Phyllanthus niruriLinn. extract.
Therefore, 1:10 and 1:5 dilutions of Phyllanthus niruri Linn. extract had no effect on Escherichia
coli. Hence, the researchers recommend the use of a higher dilution of Phyllanthus niruri Linn.
extract against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 to be able to see whether its antibacterial potential
increases with its concentration.